Assam's goal is to create robust livestock to empower farmers: Himanta Biswa Sarma

In a recent tweet, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reiterated the government's commitment to creating a robust livestock sector to empower farmers and boost the rural economy in Assam. “We are focused on our goal to create a robust livestock sector to empower our farmers and boost the rural economy. Since 2021, several steps have been taken in this direction, which has benefitted the sector immensely”, tweeted Sarma with a detailed list of activities taken under that.

According to Sarma, the Government of Assam made major strides in strengthening the livestock sector to empower farmers and stimulate the rural economy. Since 2021, several initiatives have been undertaken, yielding substantial benefits for the sector.

A comprehensive approach was adopted to bolster the cattle population, providing extensive assistance to livestock farmers and enhancing egg production. The government procured 1.16 lakh doses of sex-sorted semen to boost cattle numbers, offering farmers ₹30,000 per adult cow over seven years. This initiative represented a total investment of ₹1,384 crore.

The government allocated ₹12.34 crore as seed money for 144 dairy cooperatives, benefiting 4,500 dairy farmers. Additionally, a provision of ₹25 crore was included in the State Budget for 2024-25 to further support dairy farmers.

The Assam Government provided assistance for egg production where 281 entrepreneurs received assistance to set up poultry farms with a target of producing 50 lakh eggs. This initiative aimed to boost local egg production and provide sustainable livelihoods for poultry farmers.

Sarma highlighted other notable achievements under his leadership where the government extended the Purabi Dairy plant and established new milk processing plants in Bongaigaon and Patacharkuchi. Furthermore, a Regional Artificial Insemination Training Centre was set up, along with three state-of-the-art veterinary hospitals and an 11,000 MT cold storage facility to support the livestock sector's infrastructure needs.

The piggery sector also received significant attention, with a target of producing 20 lakh pigs annually. Aid was provided to 2 lakh piggery farmers to achieve this goal, ensuring a steady supply of pork and supporting pig farmers in the state.

With these measures, Sarma tried reflecting on the Government of Assam's commitment to creating a robust livestock sector.